TheChat: Anthony Hensley smells a rat in Kansas

▪ “It is very inappropriate to have a special-interest lobbyist draft a report for a legislative interim committee.” — Kansas Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley on a new report that concluded that the state needs massive public-education reform.

Hensley is suspicious that a conservative think tank was behind the report. That group, the Kansas Policy Institute, has sought for years to reorganize K-12 education in the state. A lobbyist for the KPI said he had nothing to do with the report.

▪ “I expect it to be a very productive and worthwhile session.” — House Speaker Todd Richardson forecasting the 2016 Missouri legislative session as he heads into his first full session as House leader.

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Even though it’s an election year, the speaker is sending signals that hedoesn’t want a stand-pat type of session. Richardson points out that a lot of agenda items were left undone last year, including highway funding, ethics, higher ed proposals and a response to the unrest in Ferguson. (link courtesy of johncombest.com).

▪ “There isn’t anybody else.” — Sean Hadley, 47, explaining that Donald Trump supporters like himself do not have a second-choice presidential candidate.

For many of them, it’s Trump or bust. That scenario raises questions about how much a candidate like Ted Cruz might benefit if Trump would one day end his campaign. Cruz has been playing friendly with Trump to position himself if the billionaire flames out.

▪ “For yet another year, Missouri still lags behind when it comes to teachers’ salaries. I think we can do better.” — Missouri State Teachers Association Executive Director Bruce Moe on teacher pay, which ranked 42nd nationally.

Missouri teachers are paid nearly $9,000 a year less than the national average. Over a 30-year career that comes out to nearly $267,000, Moe pointed out.

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